Can I lock an object in Illustrator CC2019 and still edit it?

[caitlinw43638871]

I saw a thread from 2017 where someone asked a similar question, and that feature was not available then. I'm wondering if it is now.

I am creating some templates where I fill empty boxes with pattern swatches. Sometimes, when I'm quickly clicking through and adding swatches, some of the boxes move/get out of alignment, which really irritates me and makes reformatting a piddly process. Is it possible to lock the x/y coordinates of an object yet still be able to click and add a pattern or color swatch?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice anyone can provide.

[Doug A Roberts]

Not as you describe it, no.

[Kurt Gold]

You know that you can fill objects with the Eyedropper tool without having to select the objects, don't you?

[Doug A Roberts]

Well damn, I obviously didn't think hard enough.

[caitlinw43638871]

Evidently I don't know this...do you mean the magic wand tool? Because that selects everything with the same swatch, but doesn't help me if I want to change an individual swatch.

[Doug A Roberts]

The eyedropper tool is a little eyedropper symbol in the toolbar. Is it not visible to you?

Its shortcut is the I key.

[Doug A Roberts]

To be more precise, with nothing else selected:

1. Select the eyedropper tool.

2. Select a swatch from the swatches panel for your fill.

3. Alt-click on the objects you want to fill.

[caitlinw43638871]

I know and use the eyedropper tool, but didn't know I could use it without selecting an object first. You have helped me tremendously, thank you!!!

[Kurt Gold]

No, I mean the Eyedropper tool. For example:

- Select any pattern swatch in the Swatches palette.

- Don't select anything on the scratch area.

- Take the Eyedropper tool, hold down the Alt key, hover over an object that you want to fill with the swatch, then click.

[Ray Yorkshire]

Just drag the swatch, from the swatches panel

into the unlocked and unselected shape?

[Doug A Roberts]

I didn't know you could do that at all, Ray. Glad you chipped in.

[Kurt Gold]

By the way, with the Magic Wand tool you actually mentioned another way of "safe" selecting that can prevent accidental displacements.

Double click on the Magic Wand in the Tools palette to open the Magic Wand palette. Disable all options there. Then you can use the Magic Wand to select single object(s). Play with the Shift and the Alt key to add/remove objects to/from the selection. The objects won't move in any case.

[caitlinw43638871]

Ah, good to know. I'm learning so much! Thank you!